Most kids love to play outdoors and let off some of their energy. It’s an important element of their development and shouldn’t be overlooked, which is why I have teamed up with an independent girls’ school in Hillingdon to offer you some outdoor learning suggestions.
- Birdwatching
Birdwatching is a fantastic way for children to learn about nature. If you’re struggling to observe the birds with the naked eye, perhaps invest in binoculars or a telescope for your child so that they can watch more closely. Your child could keep a birdwatching diary and write down all the different species of birds that they spot so that they can do some research about them later. If you need help enticing the birds to your garden, perhaps consider creating your very own birdfeeder.
- Explore a Seashore
If you live fairly close to a coast, or even just a lake or river, take your child and explore the shore. There are an abundance of amazing things to discover in these environments, from rocks and shells to rock pools and fish. Take a picnic along and truly make a day of it. Perhaps you could even teach your child about where the bed of water has come from, or where it’s likely to end up.
- Climb Trees
It may sound a bit risky but letting your child climb trees (even if it’s just a case of walking across low branches and logs) will engage their kinaesthetic and sensory development. They will start to develop and understanding of their strength, but also their limitations, which is an important element of understanding one’s own abilities. After your child has enjoyed some climbing, talk to them about what type of tree it was, and why trees are so important to us, so that they start to appreciate nature in more ways than one.
- Grow Your Own
Growing your own fruit or vegetables is a very rewarding way to teach your children a variety of skills. Firstly, they will need to be patient whilst they’re waiting for their plants to grow. What’s more, they will learn how to be responsible for something and take care of it so that it doesn’t die. After the fruit and veg has grown, you can pick it and incorporate it into an evening meal, which makes it all worthwhile!
There are lots more options when it comes to outdoor learning, but hopefully they above suggestions will get you started and inspire you to try some other activities. If you’re struggling, do some digging into your child’s curriculum so that you can find out what they’re learning about at school and try and find ways to anchor these lessons at home.